Razor blade dispenser



March 12, 1963 G. A.'LA (MS I RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 4, 1961 March 12, 1963 G. A. LA CAS RAZOR BLADEDISPENSERFiied April 4, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 z 9 H 5 ,m a a n 4 0 5 I w mw wINVENTOR Gad/75 [2625' ATTORNEY March 12, 1963 e. A. LA cAs 3,

RAZOR BLADE DISPENSER Filed April 4, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Tuz b.

INVENTOR (Lamfl. Lafas Z W4, Mu

ATTORNEY George A. La Cas, Staunton,

United States Patent 3,080,998 RAZQR BLADE DISPENSER Va., assignor toPhilip Morris Incorporated, New Yor N.Y., a corporation of VirginiaFiled Apr. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 100,648 6 Claims. (Cl. 221232) Thisinvention relates to devices for dispensing razor blades and the like,and especially for dispensing thin blades one-by-one. It is particularlyadapted, for example, for embodiment in devices for the dispensingone-byone of those slotted double-edge blades of extreme thinness whichare commonly used in double-edge safety razors; and such devices may beof various types including those wherein a dispensed blade is depositedby hand in a razor and the type wherein the dispensed blade is injecteddirectly into a razor.

It is important in such devices that only a single such blade bedispensed at a-t-ime, not only because of the inconvenience and shavingdifliculties of the user when two blades are put into a razor at onetime, but also because of the additional safety factor involved whenthere will be no occasion for the user to try to separate two bladeswhich are ejected together.

In order to meet such considerations, devices having particularlybalanced and/ or proportioned parts have been provided, but devices ofsuch types do not have as wide a field of adaptability as is oftendesirable, and are often expensive to manufacture. In addition, bladeshave been disposed in staggered relationship in a dispenser anddispensed from opposite sides thereof; but such an arrangement requiresthe use of an elongated dispenser, of a relatively complex dispenserconstruction, and, ordinarily, the elimination of the convenient sliderfor the dispensing of the blades.

It is also of importance that a razor blade dispenser, being adisposable and quantity-production item, be as inexpensive tomanufacture and assemble as is consistent with convenience andeffectiveness of operation.

With the foregoing and other considerations in view, the presentinvention contemplates the provision of improved means for accuratelyand effectively assuring the ejection one-by-one of the stacked bladesin a dispenser, and the provision of a convenient and economicaldispenser construction.

In certain of its aspects, the invention contemplates the provision of adownwardly yielda'ble post normally extending thruthe slots or otheropenings in all .the blades of a stack, but depressed by a portion of abladeejecting slider to move to a position where it extends thru theopenings of all but the .topmost blade but is entirely below the openingin the topmost blade.

'In other of its aspects, the invention contemplates the forming of apost of material cut out from and bent upwardly from the plates ofresilient sheet material.

Other objects and features will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will bexemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection-with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of dispenser embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the forward end thereof on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a top view, partly broken away;

3,030,998 Patented Mar. 12, 1963- FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 ofFIG. 3; FIG. 4a is aperspective view of the slider;

FIG. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view on a still larger scale of the structure embodyingthe post, the dot-and-dash lead lines thereon indicating portions fromwhich the portions forming the post were cut away from the originalblank;

FIG. 7 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a greatly enlarged detail perspective View of the post;

FIG. 10 illustrates somewhat diagrammatically the starting point in ablade-ejecting operation;

FIG. 11 illustrates a later stage in the operation; and

FIG..12 illustrates a still later stage therein.

In the exemplified embodiment of the invention there is provided adispenser which is of the general type exemplified in the Butlin Patent2,792,933, and which, as in that patent, comprises a magazine for astack of blades and a slider for dispensing the topmost blade.

The body of the dispenser is provided, in the present instance, by anupper member 10 which may be formed of plastic and which providesa top12 and forward and rearward walls 14 and 15, and a lower member 16 whichmay be formed of sheet metal and which provides a bottom 18. The sidesof the dispenser are provided by upper side portions 20 on the uppermember and carrying lugs 22, anda lower side portion formed by inwardlyresilient portions 24 of the lower member and formed with longitudinalgrooves 25 adapted to snap over and embrace the lugs 2.2.

The exemplified dispenser is separated into an upper dispensing magazineand a lower used-blade vault by a plate 26 having downwardly-extendingsupporting flanges 28 which rest on the bottom 18, and the bottom 18 isformed with a used-blade inlet slot 30. 4

A blade discharge slot 32 is formed at the forward upper end of themagazine, and a slider 34, movable in a slot 35 in the top 12, isprovided for the ejection through the slot 32 of the topmost blade 36 ofa stack 37 of doubleedge blades, which may have a thickness of onlysixthousandths of an inch (0.006) and which are formed with conventionalslots 38 and solid portions 39 at each end. Cut out from the plate 26are a pair of upwardlyresilient springs 40 and 41 which urge the bladesof the stack toward the top 12. The slider carries at a rearward portionthereof dependent projections 42 of slightly less thickness than thethickness of a blade and providing forward shoulders 43 for engaging anddispensing the uppermost blade of a stack.

Pursuant to the present invention in certain of its aspects, in order topositively prevent the next-to-topmost blade of the stack from clingingto the topmost blade during the dispensing thereof or otherwise beingdispensed with the topmost blade, there is provided toward the rear ofthe magazine an upwardly-spring-pressed downwardlyyieldable post 45normally extending upwardly through the slots 39 of the blades of thestack, the spring 41 being cut out at 45a, in the present instance, tofreely accommodate this post. On the lower edge of the slider, forwardlyof the projection 41, and directly above the post when the slider is inits rearward position (FIG. 10), is

.the shoulders 43 should be suflicient to'freely accommodate therearward end portion 39 of the topmost blade,

but not enough to permit the projection 46 to ride forwardly ofi the topof the post before said end portion 39 is above the same. When,therefore, the slider is moved forwardly, the shoulders 43 will engagethe rear end of the topmost blade and move it forwardly to positionsabove and then past the post 45. It will be noted that the space betweenprojections 42 is greater than the thickness of the post, so that theywill clear the post as the slider 34 is moved forwardly and rearwardly.Since the post is spring-pressed upwardly, first against the projection46, and later (as the slider moves forward) against the rear end of thetopmost blade, and finally to a slightly but nevertheless higherposition, the rear end of the nextto-topmost blade cannot move forwardlypast the post. It is to be observed that the projection 46 is no widerthan the slot 32 in the blade, whereas the projections 42 are disposedover the blade on each side of the slot 32 and therefore hold the'next-t'o-topmost blade down to a certain extent until the slider hassubstantially completed its rearward movement after ejecting the topmostblade. When, however, the projection 46 reaches the post 45 during therearward movement of the slider, the projection 46 cams the postdownwardly under it, an inclined surface being provided on at least oneof these members for that purpose. in the present instance, one isprovided at 48 on the forward upper surface of the post and another at49 on the rearwardly facing portion of the projection 46 on the slider.As, therefore, the projection 46 moves fully over the post 45 and theshoulders 43 move behind the end of the previously next-to-the-topmostand now topmost blade, this blade is ready for dispensing without thedispensing of the blade under it.

The present invention, moreover, in certain of its aspects, contemplatesthe provision of a particularly economical and effective construction ofthe post and its actuating spring. Below the plate 26 there is provideda normally-flatresilient sheet-metal plate 59 supported on the bottom 18by side flanges 52 which fit inside the side flanges 28 on the plate 26.The plate 50 is unsupported otherwise, so that the longitudinal centralportion thereof is downwardly yieldable. At each side of a rearwardcentral portion 54 of the plate 50 there are cut out tabs 55 and 56 theinner sides of which are left attached to the central portion 54 onlines 57 and 58 respectively. The respective tabs 55 and 56 comprisenarrow inner portions 59 and 60 and wider outer portions 61 and 62 eachproviding a wide piece 64 on one end and a narrow piece 65 on the otherend. The outer surface of each tab is cut away on an inclined line 66 tothe right (FIG. 6) of the portions 65. The post is formed by bending thetabs so that portions 59 and 64) thereof extend upwardly and inwardlyand the portions 61 and 62 thereof extend upwardly, whereupon the tabs64 are bent over each other at one end and the tabs 65 are bent overeach other at the other end to provide the construction pan ticula'rlyshown in FIGS. 7 and 9. The inclined edges at 66 provide the inclinedsurface 48; and the post 45, which is integral with the plate 50, isresiliently mounted on this plate so that it can be pressed downwardly,bowing the plate 50 downwardly as the projection 46 presses against thesurface 48 during the rearward movement of the slider, but so that itwill be pushed upwardly in stages as the forward movement of the sliderremoves the projection 46 from above it, then removes the rear end ofthe blade from above it, and then removes the projection 42 from aboveit, the movement continuing until the plate 50 has returned to itsnormal position.

Details of construction not specifically referred to herein will bereadily understood by reference to said Butlin Patent 2,792,933.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention claimed is:

1. A blade dispenser comprising a receptacle containing a stack of thinblades having alined openings therein, means to urge said bladesupwardly, a slot in the upper forward portion of said receptacle fordispensing a blade from said receptacle, a slider having blade-ejectingshoulder means and adapted for movement in a forward direction fordispensing thru said slot the uppermost blade in said stack and adaptedfor a return movement in a rearward direction, a downwardly-yieldablepost within the receptacle and having a substantially horizontal uppersurface at its rearward portion and a substantially vertical rearwardsurface meeting the same, and normally extending thru said openings ofthe blades in said stack but depressible to a position wherein saidhorizontal surface will lie below the uppermost blade of said stack andwherein said vertical surface will provide a positive stop in the pathof forward movement of the next-to-uppermost blade of the stack, saidslider having a downward projection with a rearwardly-facing portiontherein disposed forwardly of said shoulder means and depending belowsaid shoulder means and below the plane of said horizontal surface whensaid post extends thru said openings and said post having an upperforward portion in the path of rearward movement of therearwardly-facing portion of said projection, and at least one of saidrearwardly-facing portion of said slider and said upper forward portionof said post being formed with an upwardly and rearwardly inclinedcamming surface to engage the other of the last mentioned portionsduring the rearward movement of said slider to cam the post downwardlyand permit the projection to ride over the post and to maintain the postdepressed until the uppermost blade has been moved forwardly by saidshoulder means at least sufficiently to bring the rear edge of theopening in the uppermost blade above said post.

2. A blade dispenser as in claim 1 wherein said camr'ning surface isformed on said portion of said projection.

3. A blade dispenser as in claim '1 wherein said camming surface isformed on said portion of said post.

4. A blade dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said projection is of lesslateral extent than the minimum lateral extents of said openings thruwhich said post extends.

5. A blade dispenser as in claim 4 wherein said bladeejecting shouldermeans comprises a pair of elements spaced from each other a distancegreater than the thickness of said post and movable past said post atboth sides thereof.

6. A blade dispenser comprising a receptacle containing a stack of thinblades having alined openings therein, means to urge said bladesupwardly, a slot in the upper forward portion of said receptacle fordispensing a blade from said receptacle, a slider adapted for movementin a forward direction for dispensing thru said slot the uppermost bladein said stack and adapted for a return movement in a rearward direction,a plate of resilient material beneath said blade stack, a post carriedby said plate and extending thru said openings, means to support saidplate at positions thereon remote from said post to permit said plate tobe flexed to a position in which it will urge said post upwardly, andcooperating means on said post and said slider for depressing said postwhen said slider is moved rearwardly and for holding said post depressedwhile said slider is in a rearward position, said post comprisingportions of said plate cut away from an interior portion of the plate,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES "PATENTS2,461,914 .Nelson Feb. 15, 1949 2,472,051 Testi May 31, 1949 2,792,933Butlin May 21, 1957

1. A BLADE DISPENSER COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE CONTAINING A STACK OF THINBLADES HAVING ALINED OPENINGS THEREIN, MEANS TO URGE SAID BLADESUPWARDLY, A SLOT IN THE UPPER FORWARD PORTION OF SAID RECEPTACLE FORDISPENSING A BLADE FROM SAID RECEPTACLE, A SLIDER HAVING BLADE-EJECTINGSHOULDER MEANS AND ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT IN A FORWARD DIRECTION FORDISPENSING THRU SAID SLOT THE UPPERMOST BLADE IN SAID STACK AND ADAPTEDFOR A RETURN MOVEMENT IN A REARWARD DIRECTION, A DOWNWARDLY-YIELDABLEPOST WITHIN THE RECEPTACLE AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL UPPERSURFACE AT ITS REARWARD PORTION AND A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL REARWARDSURFACE MEETING THE SAME, AND NORMALLY EXTENDING THRU SAID OPENINGS OFTHE BLADES IN SAID STACK BUT DEPRESSIBLE TO A PORTION WHEREIN SAIDHORIZONTAL SURFACE WILL LIE BELOW THE UPPERMOST BLADE OF SAID STACK ANDWHEREIN SAID VERTICAL SURFACE WILL PROVIDE A POSITIVE STOP IN THE PATHOF FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE NEXT-TO-UPPERMOST BLADE OF THE STACK, SAIDSLIDER HAVING A DOWNWARD PROJECTION WITH A REARWARDLY-FACING PORTIONTHEREIN DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF SAID SHOULDER MEANS AND DEPENDING BELOWSAID SHOULDER MEANS AND BELOW THE PLANE OF SAID HORIZONTAL SURFACE WHENSAID POST EXTENDS THRU SAID OPENINGS AND SAID POST HAVING AN UPPERFORWARD PORTION IN THE PATH OF REARWARD MOVEMENT OF THEREARWARDLY-FACING PORTION OF SAID PROJECTION, AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAIDREARWARDLY-FACING PORTION OF SAID SLIDER AND SAID UPPER FORWARD PORTIONOF SAID POST BEING FORMED WITH AN UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY INCLINEDCAMMING SURFACE TO ENGAGE THE OTHER OF THE LAST MENTIONED PORTIONSDURING THE REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID SLIDER TO CAM THE POST DOWNWARDLYAND PERMIT THE PROJECTION TO RIDE OVER THE POST AND TO MAINTAIN THE POSTDEPRESSED UNTIL THE UPPERMOST BLADE HAS BEEN MOVED FORWARDLY BY SAIDSHOULDER MEANS AT LEAST SUFFICIENTLY TO BRING THE REAR EDGE OF THEOPENING IN THE UPPERMOST BLADE ABOVE SAID POST.